Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, will not receive any objections from the
National Trust over his planned renovations of his historic house in the
London borough.

Having fulfilled his dream of a Champions League trophy for Chelsea, Roman Abramovich is on course for a victory elsewhere in the borough.

The National Trust has decided not to object to plans by the Russian tycoon and his girlfriend, Dasha Zhukova, to transform the historic, Grade II* listed property that he bought for £25 million last year. It is part of Lindsey House, of which the charity owns half the freehold.

Abramovich has submitted plans for substantial demolition and massive structural alterations to a section of the nine-bedroom house, which was once the home of Lord Kelvedon, the minister known as Paul Channon in Margaret Thatcher’s government. They include changes to the roofs, a large extension and a huge double basement.

As well as satisfying planners, the oligarch will have to win approval from English Heritage, which is usually a staunch opponent of such “modernisation” schemes. Helpfully, perhaps, Abramovich appointed as his “heritage consultant” Alan Baxter, who is a member of English Heritage’s influential London advisory committee.

Tom Fletcher, Britain’s new ambassador to the Lebanon, is happy with his posting. “I’ve been offered Sweden and Portugal, but, for now, Beirut seemed the best place to be and, oh, the most amazing-looking people, of course,” the 37-year-old Oxford graduate tells Mandrake.

“It’s also fast becoming the number one plastic surgery destination in the world. I’ve only been here nine months, but was offered a free buttock lift as soon as I got off the plane.”

School of seduction

Ros Chatto, the mother-in-law of Lady Sarah Chatto, inspired fond anecdotes at her memorial service in Chelsea on Friday.

Lady Sarah, the daughter of Princess Margaret, and her husband, the artist Daniel Chatto, were joined at St Luke’s church by stars including Alan Bennett, Felicity Kendal, Celia Imrie and Nicholas Lyndhurst as they mourned the theatrical agent, who died earlier this month.

Paying tribute, Bennett said Chatto was bemused when critics dismissed as implausible the amorous relationship between a student and teacher in his play The History Boys. “Nonsense, darling,” Chatto told him. “I seduced the art master at 16.”